Police say an off-duty officer who they believe shot a woman during a domestic squabble and then started a standoff with his co-workers in west Baltimore has been arrested, but the woman who was shot has died. George Lettis reports.

The incident started at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday when two police officers were called to the home of Officer James Smith, a 20-year veteran of the force, after getting reports of an assault in the 1100 block of North Parrish Street.

According to charging documents, when the officers arrived, they heard a woman yell, "Help me," so they forced open the front door. One of the officers went upstairs, while the other one escorted the woman, identified as Kendra Diggs, outside.

I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller said the documents showed as the officer and Diggs approached the sidewalk, a single gunshot was fired, and Diggs collapsed. Miller reported that SWAT teams were called in to move Diggs, which took some time.

Diggs was rushed to Shock Trauma in critical condition and later died.

Police said Smith then barricaded himself inside the home, and police negotiators were called in. A few hours into the standoff, emotions started to run high, 11 News reporter George Lettis said Tuesday. 11 News cameras showed an unidentified man breaking down in the street. Lettis reported he had to be held up by surrounding officers.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Smith barricaded himself in the home with the couple's 4-year-old son. Eventually, police Commissioner Anthony Batts was able to announce that Smith let the boy go.

"Police negotiators have been able to get the release of our toddler. We have the toddler in custody, and we're sending him to a hospital to make sure the Department of Children Services and the families take care of the youth," Batts said.

Guglielmi said negotiators, including police psychologists, eventually succeeded in persuading Smith to surrender. He was charged with first-degree murder early Wednesday morning and is being held without bail.

Guglielmi called the incident a "domestic situation." He said Smith works in the motor unit of the special operations section and that he is tactically trained.

Several roads were closed in the area during the standoff, and police asked residents to shelter in place. Some who lived close to the house were evacuated to a nearby elementary school.

Family, friends, community react to incident

Family members and friends of Diggs are trying to understand what happened. They said the relationship between Diggs, an MTA bus driver, and Smith never showed signs of trouble.

"They were both working people, happy. They were engaged to be married," a relative said.

A neighbor said she watched the shooting and then waited a long time for someone to get to Diggs' side.

"I wouldn't have thought it would have taken that to come back and get her. All this time, we're laying on the floor for cover, and she's just lying there on the wet grass, just dying or not dying, or whatever is going on. It's just crazy," the neighbor said.

Police said Smith kept firing, making it too dangerous for medics or other police to respond to get close to where Diggs had fallen. A SWAT vehicle was used to get her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

While police are reviewing their handling of the incident, the community is anxious for answers.

"Is that protocol? Is that what they do? Why wasn't she taken and shielded?" a neighbor asked.

Smith agreed to talk with investigators. Charging documents said he apologized for his actions. Police said the gun he allegedly used was his service weapon.